Muhammadun Rasul Allah

Salutations on you, O Prophet
Salutations on you, O Messenger of Allah
Salutations on you, O Beloved
Blessings of Allah be upon you.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

His face (peace and blessings upon him)

His complexion (peace and blessings upon him) has been described as being somewhat delicately wheaten incolor or whitish with reddish tones. His face was luminous, almost round, butnot round, and frequently compared to the beauty of the full moon when itreached its zenith.He had a broad forehead and his eyebrows were separate and thick withdensely fine hair. When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, becamedispleased a vein between his eyebrows became enlarged. His eyes were jetblackand his eyelashes long, mascared with kohl made from ithmid that heapplied thrice to each eye before sleeping. Our Prophet, praise and peace beupon him, tells us that: "... kohl made from ithmid used on the eye brightensthe eyesight. Also, it strengthens and increases the growth of the eye lashes."His companions said that even when he did not use kohl, his eyes looked as ifhe had.His nose was prominently distinguished. His cheeks were smooth and wellcovered whilst his proportionally perfect mouth was neither large nor yetsmall. His teeth were bright, slim and evenly spaced, however, the spacebetween his front teeth was slightly larger. As for the thickness of his beard, itwas dense.His hair was slightly wavy, sometimes it was cut short and at other times hewore it nearly shoulder length. When his hair had the tendency to part itselfin the middle he wore it that way, otherwise he did not dress it in that fashion.His habit was to use oil on his hair and in order not to soil his turban hewould place a piece of cloth between it and his hair. When he went onpilgrimage to Mecca, he would shave his hair.The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would dress his hair and hisbeard using his right hand. It was not his practice to dress his hair every day,in fact, he prohibited it, unless there was a valid reason, and would dress hishair every third day.11. These chapters mention the Day of Judgement, the blowing of the trumpet,hell, and its punishment. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said:"If you knew what I know, you would laugh but a little and cry a lot. Youwould even stop going to your wives."In later life, the Prophet had several silver hairs on his temples. It has beenreported that they ranged between fourteen and twenty. The accuracy of thesereports is equally valid as they came over a period of time. One day, whenAbu Bakr first noticed the silver hairs, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, youhave become old," whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,said: "The recitation of the chapters Hud, Waaki'ah, Mursalaat, 'Amma andKukkirah have made me old."The scholars of Islam teach that this means it is prohibited at such timeswhen there is no need to dress one's hair. If it needs to be dressed, there is noharm in itIt was the practice of elderly men to dye their hair before they went off to fightto disguise their age. According to the Shafi and Hanafi schools ofjurisprudence, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, either forbade ordisapproved the use of a completely black dye except in war but permitted theuse of henna, which is a reddish dye, and approved its mixing with katm,which is a black dye extracted from a certain grass. However, the katm mustbe used in a lessor quantity in order that the hair does not become totallyblack, rather, a darker tone of red.Scholars are uncertain whether or nor the Prophet dyed his hair. Some saythat he did so occasionally but not regularly. The reason given for their doubtas to whether or not he used a dye is that very often before dark hair changes color it turns reddish, therefore the reddish hair mentioned in severalProphetic Quotations (Ahadith) could have been natural, and not a dye.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

PROPHET MUHAMMAD'S GENEALOGY (pbuh)

His parents peace and blessings upon himwere Amina, bint Wahb and Abdullah, son of Abd Al Muttalib,the son of Hashim,son of Abd Manaf,son of Ksay,son of Kilab,son of Murrah,son of Ka'b,son of Lu'ayy,son of Ghalib,son of Fihr,son of Malik,son of Nadir,son of Kinanah,son of Khuzayma,son of Ilyas,son of Mudar,son of Nizar,son of Ma'aad,son of Adnan,2son of Udd,son of Udad,son of Al Yasu,son of Yashub,son of Hamil,son of Kaydar,son of Prophet Ishmael,son of Prophet Abraham,son of Azar,son of Tarikh,son of Yahur,son of Ushru,son of Arghu,son of Kalun.son of Faligh,son of Amir,son of Shaligh,son of Arfakhshad,son of Shem,son of Prophet Noah,son of Malik,son of Mattushalakh,son of Akhnukh,son of Yard,son of Mahla'il,son of Kinan,son of Anush,son of Kinan,son of Shith,son of Prophet AdamPeace be upon all the Prophets

Friday, March 30, 2007

Excerpt: The Holy Ascension of the Prophet - 7th Heaven

The Holy Prophet continues his account:

"When I reached the Divine Throne, I wished to remove my sandals, but the Throne spoke to me and said, 'Oh Beloved of Allah, step upon me with your blessed sandal, so that I might rub the dust from it on my face, and take pride in the fact that the dust from the Beloved of Allah has fallen upon me.'

Again I tried to remove my sandals, but this time a call came to me from the Divine Person, saying, 'Oh My Beloved, do not remove your sandals so that My Throne might be honoured and blessed with the dust from the soles of your sandals'. I then entreated my Lord, saying, 'When You called the Prophet Musa to come to the mountain of Tur (Sina'i), You ordered him to remove his sandals.' Again this word came to me from the Divine Person, saying, 'In My view, you are more cherished and honoured than he; Musa was My Word (Kalimullah), whereas you are My Beloved (Habibullah). Look ahead and see what you will see!'

I looked and I saw a great sea, so great that there was no end to it, and no shore in sight. On its near side there was a tree, and upon that tree, there was a bird the size of a dove. In its beak this bird bore a piece of clay as big as a lentil. 'Do you know what this is?', I was asked. I answered, 'My Lord knows best'. And He Almighty told me, 'You are forever entreating me to forgive your nation their sins. This sea is the likeness of the Sea of Mercy. That tree signifies the world, the dove-like bird is the likeness of your nation and that bit of clay is the likeness of their sins. Now you have seen the relation of your nation's sins to the vastness of My Mercy, so let your heart be at rest."

There is not a civilization that has loved and celebrated its leader as Islamic civilization has loved and celebrated its Prophet, our master Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Love is the strongest of all human attachments, and is the greatest thing that distinguishes the relationship of Muslims with their Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who said, “None of you [truly] believes until I am more beloved to him than his very self, wealth, and all people.”

Motivated by this love, as well as by an understanding of the immense importance of the personal example of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), the Muslim community recorded and preserved his entire life in the most exacting detail. The Islamic scholars did not limit their attention to the moral and legal example of the Prophet alone (Allah bless him and give him peace). Rather, they also focused on his daily life, like his habits of eating, drinking, and sleeping, as well as other matters that do not have immediate legal implications. From that time, until this present day, Muslims have sought to imitate the example of their Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in all its details, unless they were of the particular matters that Allah Most High chose only for him.

The Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) external, physical appearance was also among the matters that Muslims paid great attention to, as were his habits of dress. Among the matters of external appearance, the Prophet’s noble sandals received particular attention, perhaps because of what his followers felt of utmost love and humility for the person of their beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), such that they saw themselves as less than his sandals.

The Companions and the Noble Sandals

The attention given to the noble sandals is not an innovated matter. Rather, the first generations, from the Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), were the first to give them attention and importance, such that some of them were known to have distinguished themselves with serving the noble sandals. It has been reported by Ibn Sa`d that Anas (Allah be well pleased with him) was the keeper of the sandals of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).

And Imam al-Sâlihî reported in his work, Subul al-Huda wa’l Rashâd (8:318) that `Abd Allâh ibn Mas`ûd (Allah be pleased with him) used to get up as soon as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) sat down, and would take off the latter’s sandals, and place them under his own arms. Then, when the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) would get up, he would put them on him. Many other narrations have been transmitted from the Companions giving exact descriptions of the noble sandals of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

The Attention Given by the Imams and Scholars to the Noble Sandals

A number of Imams gave the noble sandals of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) particular attention, authoring complete works in describing and praising them, and gathering that which was transmitted regarding this. Among them were:

1. Imam Abu Ishâq Ibrahîm ibn Muhammad ibn Khalaf al-Sullamî, famous as Ibn al-Hâjj, who collected that which many poets and authors had written in praise of the sandals.

2. Imam and hadith master Abû al-Yumn `Abd al-Samad ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb Ibn `Asâkir of Damascus (686 AH), who was buried in the Baqî` cemetery [in Madina], authored a treatise called A Sketch of the Sandal of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) (Timthâlu Na`l al-Nabiyy), which is published.

5. Imam Abû al-`Abbâs al-Maqqarî of Tilmisân, who died in Egypt, wrote the most expansive work on the issue, An Opening From The Most High In Praising The Sandals (Fath al-Muta`âl fî Madh al-Ni`âl). This work is published, and has three abridgements. The first is by Radiyy al-Dîn Abu al-Khayr al-Qâdirî; the second by Abû al-Hasan al-Dimintî; and the third by Shaykh Yûsuf al-Nabahânî (Allah have mercy on them all).

6. The author of the work Collected Pearls from the Bewildering Design and the Unique Exposition on the Characteristics of the Depiction of the Sandals of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) (al-La’ali’ al-Majmû`a Min Bâhir al-Nizâm wa Bâri` al-Kalâm fî Sifat Mithâl Na`li Rasûl Allâh), who was one of the scholars of Cordoba, as mentioned by the historian Abû Sâlim al-`Ayyâshî in his famous travelogue.

The Place of the Depiction of the Noble Sandals and their Baraka

The depiction of the noble Prophetic sandals has had a special place in the hearts of Muslims since it points to one of the needs of their tremendous Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and since it inspires in them the utmost humility towards his high rank (Allah bless him and give him peace). Because of this, they took care to record this depiction, and to draw it, and they sometimes even placed it under their turbans, to feel their complete subservience to the tremendousness of this most noble Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). They also hung this depiction in their houses, seeking baraka from it.

Writers and poets wrote eloquently in praise of the noble sandals and in describing the feelings of ecstatic love for their wearer (Allah bless him and give him peace). Imam Abû al-`Abbâs gathered a significant amount of these writing in his aforementioned work, as well as in his treatise Azhâr al-Riyâd

May the best of blessings and peace be upon the owner of these blessed sandals.

"Who is he? He is the Mercy for all Mankind and for all creatures. He was the first to be created and it was for his honour that the whole of creation came into existence and still continues to come into existence."

"His name Muhammad means "the Praised One". He is the Praised one from pre-eternity, from Alzil illal abad. There is no need for him to have the praising of the nations as he is praised by his Lord Almighty Allah Himself. What are we giving of praise and thanks to him? When you compare this praise with the praise and honour that Allah Almighty has given him and is giving him still, it is."

"...like an atom in a huge Ocean. Even if the whole of creation glorifies, honours and praises him it would only be like a little dot through an endless Ocean in comparison to what Allah Almighty gives him."

"Allah Almighty has made His beloved Muhammad (Sal) to represent Haqq and He asked His servants to be obedient to Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty is also asking His servants to love Muhammad (Sal) and to respect him as Seyyadina Muhammad (Sal) is the most respected and honoured servant of Allah."

"He was born fifteen centuries ago in an unknown desert. He was born to a tribe whose characteristic was to be Jahil (ignorant). Before he was born, when he was in the womb of his mother, his father died and he was orphaned. Four years after he was born his mother also passed away and then he had neither father nor mother to look after him. He had only his Lord for his teacher and for his trainer. When he grew up to be forty years of age he was well known among his tribe to be Ameen (Trustworthy, True One). No one was ever wronged by him. He was never known to have lied to anyone nor to have harmed anyone. He was such a Diamond. He was such a pure creation. That alone is enough for Mankind to look at him with good eyes."

"When he was in his fortieth year he suddenly came up to his tribe, "Oh Mankind, I have been just ordered to declare to you the existence and the unity of your Lord Almighty Allah. Say, "La ilaha illallah (there is no God but Allah), La ilaha illallah, La ilaha illallah". The very sound of his "La ilaha illallah" is even heard up to date from the Far East to the Far West. Do you think that this is possible for just one person? How is it possible that his first declaration, his first order to Mankind, asking them to say "La ilaha illallah" is heard up to date between East and West making the world tremble? "La ilaha illallah", is continuously being repeated and never stops from the Far East to the far West."

"As long as the Sun rises and sets and rises again, in every station that the Sun is at any given moment, the Azan (the call for prayers) is being called throughout the world and it never stops. There is not a moment in this world when the Azan is not being called out. The Muezzin (the one who calls for prayer) in Azan calls out "La ilaha illallah. Ashadu an la ilaha illallah, Ash hadu anna Muhammadur Rasoolullah. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasoolullah". This goes on continuously throughout the world from that time, up to date. Do you think that one person with his physical power can do this? Do you think about that? Yes, he must be a king-sized person to have been able to do that. He is a universal and unique personality to be able to do this up to date and up to eternity. Therefore he is the Greatest One."

"Yes, up to to date and up to eternity there is going to be the sound of "La ilaha illallah Muhammdur Rasoolullah (Sal) in the earth and in the heavens. This is also written on the Divine Throne, and it is the Divine Seal through the heavens, the 'Arsh Kursi and everywhere."

"Try to put that seal into your heart. When you put that seal through your heart you are going to attain to peace with yourself and around yourself, and it will become a shelter for you and be around you. May Allah forgive us for our bad understanding, and our bad actions for the sake of his Beloved Prophet, Muhammad (Sal). May Allah bless us and grant us good understanding and respect for his Praised Servant - Seyyadina Muhammad, peace be upon him. May Allah Almighty put through your hearts love and respect for His beloved Muhammad (Sal), and may He also give you the courage to be able to carry His message throughout the East and the West. Muhammad (Sal) is the Messenger of Almighty Allah for the whole of Mankind. He started to preach this message of Islam when he was forty years old. He did his best for Mankind. Everything is open for his sake to Mankind."

When the term was fulfilled and the moment of delivery approached, the holy house, the Kaba at Mecca all at once was seen to split in two. The Quraysh were appalled by this event, and everybody searched for an explanation. The Bani Hashim said, "This is on account of Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Muttalib's death that this has happened", while the Bani Zuhayr said, "This holy house has split asunder because the father of Amina, Wahb ibn Abdu Manaf has died, and he was one of the bravest men of Quraysh."

While they were thus engaged in finding explanations for this inexplicable happening, they heard a voice coming from inside the Kaba that said, "Oh men of Quraysh! This holy house has not come apart on account of the death of any, but rather because the time of birth has drawn nigh for the Light of this world, the Glory of the world to come, the shining Lamp of Paradise, Muhammad bin Abdullah to emerge from his mother's womb. He is to be a great prophet, he will cleanse this holy house of the abominations and idols that are polluting my precincts, and he will make me pure and pristine once more with the light of true faith; I will become the Qibla of his entire nation and the annual pilgrimage will be held on my grounds. Know that it is in honor of his long desired advent that this edifice has cracked and split."

The night that Muhammad {s} was born, Allah Almighty, Exalted be He, commanded the angels to open wide all the gates of Heaven and of Paradise; on that day the sun shone with more brilliance, and greater was its light than on other days, and the whole world was gladdened.

Abdullah bin Salam reports: On the night the Prophet {S} was born, I was sitting together with a learned Jew. He raised his face to Heaven and spoke to me, "Ya Ibn Salam! This very night at Mecca the Arabian prophet, Muhammad ibn Abdullahr is to be born who will illuminate the world." I said to him, "What do these words of yours mean, how do you know such a thing?" He answered me, :I have been watching the skies, and I see now such a light as has not been seen since the world began. That is how I come to know of this event."

I then entered a dark room, and I saw seventy candles burning in it so that it was brilliantly lit. I knew then that unusual things were happening. When I came to Mecca, I asked about that night, and I found that the Jewish scholar had told me the truth; it had indeed been the night in which the Prophet Muhammad {s} came into this world.

The Prophet's {s} blessed mother, Amina, relates: "At the time I was ready to give birth there was no one with me, neither man nor woman attended me (for everyone, including Abdul-Muttalib, had gone to make Tawaf of the Kaba.) I was all alone in the house. Suddenly there was a terrifying noise and I felt great fear. Then a white bird alighted upon my breast and my fear left me, I became calm and no trace of pain or anxiety remained. Next I was handed a cup of sweet white sherbet, and when I drank of it, my heart filled with peace and joy and light. After this, I beheld a number of tall women approaching me, tall and slender as cypress trees, and of astounding beauty. I took them to be the daughters of Abdu Manaf. They came and sat around me in a circle, and I was mostly surprised and wondered how they had come to know of my condition and who had informed them.

While I was yet pondering this question in my heart, one of the ladies spoke and said, 'I am Hawa, the wife of the Prophet Adam,' and another one of them said, 'I am Sarah, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim.' Yet another said, 'I am Asiya, the wife of Fir'aun of Egypt'. And another said, 'I am Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, the mother of 'Isa.' The others were introduced as the Huris of Paradise, all of whom had come to usher the Holy Prophet{S} into his earthly life and to welcome him with due veneration.

All the while the noises I had been hearing became stronger and louder and more fearful. Suddenly I perceived a white curtain being drawn from the skies down to the earth, so that I was veiled from the eyes of the Jinn. Then there was a flock of birds with beaks of green emerald and ruby red wings. These birds flew down and fluttered about me so closely that I could feel the beating of their wings upon my skin. They flew round and round me as if in Tawaf (circumambulation). The Lord Almighty then removed the veil from my eyes so that I beheld the whole world from east to west. Three flags I saw them bring down from Heaven: one they planted in the ground in the east, one in the west and one right atop the Kaba. In the heavens that were open to my eyes I beheld men bearing bejeweled vessels of gold, and they assisted at the birth of the blessed child, and I suffered neither pain nor trouble.

And when I looked again, I saw that the child was born circumcised, and that his umbilical cord was cut and he was wrapped in a piece of white silk. He touched the ground with his blessed head, lifted the forefinger of his right hand, and made humble supplication to Allah Almighty. I bent down to hear what he was saying, and these were the words I heard:

"I was present the night the Prophet Muhammad {s} was born. At the very moment of birth I saw a great light appear. During the night, I beheld six signs. The first was that the instant the holy child was born. He bent down his head and performed a prostration. The second, that he lifted up his blessed head and spoke clearly and distinctly these words: La ilaha illAllah, inni Rasulullah. The third, that a great light was manifested. The fourth, that when I wished to wash the child, I heard a voice speaking to me that said: 'Oh Safiya, do not trouble yourself, we have already washed and cleansed him.' The fifth sign was that he was born already circumcised, and his umbilical cord was cut. The sixth sign was when I looked for something with which to swaddle the child, I noticed upon his back a certain mark. Looking at it closely, I was able to read the words: 'La ilaha illAllah, Muhammad {s}Rasulullah."

Safiya also said, "When he prostrated himself, he spoke some words in secret. I bent my ear to his blessed lips to hear what he was saying, and I heard him say: 'Ummatiy, ummatiy (my nation, my nation).'"

Now let us pause briefly to consider this point: this noble prophet of unequaled rank and highest station prayed to his Lord from the very moment he was born, entreating Him for our sake, for the sake of his nation, while we, who stand in dire need of his prayer and intercession in this world and the next are enveloped in heedlessness. We forsake the example of his radiant and honored Sunna (example) and are negligent in our observance of the Shari'a that we have the privilege of knowing. Day and night we are careless in the recital of Salawat (praises and prayers on the Holy Prophet {S}), being engulfed in our own sloth. How can we be worthy of such lofty intercession?

If we paused to consider this for a moment and reflected on the implications, we would realize that we are totally overcome by our heedlessness, whereas we should busy ourselves constantly with the application of the holy ways of the law, and try to make all our actions accord with the guidance it contains, and to tirelessly recite praises and prayers on the Holy Prophet. May Allah, Exalted be He, effect betterment for us all and improve our state, and grant us success and favor, for the sake of the prince among all the Divine Messengers. Amin.

To continue our narration: Amina the mother of the Holy Prophet{S} recounts: "I then beheld a white cloud in the sky moving towards me, and from it came as if the sounds of horses. This cloud descended and enveloped the little child Muhammad {s} and carried him away out of my sight. I heard a voice calling: 'We are taking Muhammad {s}, to show him the whole world. We shall encircle it and dive into the depths of the oceans, so that all that lives in and under the earth may know of the advent of this noble being and shall have seen his face and learned of his arrival. Hereafter the world shall be filled with the light of faith; of unbelief and rebellion against the Lord Almighty nothing will remain.' Thus I heard the voices speak to me."

"After only a brief moment, that cloud alighted anew, and I saw my son Muhammad {s} again, wrapped now in a piece of green silk, dripping with milk. His face was radiant as the moon on her fourteenth night, and he exuded a fragrance sweeter than that of yellow musk. I then beheld three persons standing aside; one of them held in his hand a jug of silver, another held a bowl of green emerald, and the third held a piece of folded white silk. The latter unfolded this bit of silk and took from its folds a ring so bright it dazzled the eyes of the beholder.

"The first took the baby Muhammad {s} and washed him seven times from the silver jug; then the next person took a ring from the folds of silken cloth and impressed its bezel in a place between the baby's shoulders. After that he wrapped it up again in the bit of silk. He then took the baby Muhammad {s} from me and held him under his wing for a whole hour, all the while whispering many secrets into his ears. At last he kissed him upon both his eyes and said, 'Tuba laka, ya Muhammad {s}, blissful tidings to you, oh Muhammad {s}, in all Allah's creation, you are the most awesome and venerable of all that serve Him Almighty. Triumph and victory has been given to your companions and your nation. It is you who holds the keys to the castle of bliss.'"

It is related by Ibn Abbas: The night the Holy Prophet {S} was born, all the idols in the Kaba fell from their places and broke to pieces. At that time a voice was heard calling out from the unseen, and it said: "Woe and perdition on Quraysh, for the glorious and trusted Prophet {S} has come in truth, embellished with adornments from the loftiest gardens of Paradise. Lat and Uzza and all other idols are now finished and done for, Iblis himself is imprisoned."

The Kaba itself was inwardly hung with golden lamps from Paradise, and all creatures of the heavens and the earth, the youths and the maidens from Paradise, all created beings other than mankind rejoiced and gave each other the glad tidings. "Oh Muhammad," they wished, "may Allah make you happy and always pleased, for there is no creature born with greater honor than you, and none that is more excellent. Never have the angels celebrated the birth of any created being as they now celebrate your birth into this world!" Between Heaven and earth there were raised pillars of support, and all were made of precious stone, and not one of them was alike unto another.

It is reported by Ka'b-al-Akhbar: One of the miracles of that night was a fish that lived in the sea, and its name was Zalmusa. This fish had seventy heads and seventy tails, and a single scale on his back could have held seventy mountains and plains, the smallest of which would have been the size of Jabil Qubais (a hill in Mecca). Now you can picture the size of that tremendous fish! The night the Holy Prophet {S} was born, by the Will of Allah Almighty this fish was so convulsed with mighty emotion that he caused the seven seas to heave from enthusiasm, so that all the sea creatures were instantly informed of the arrival of the Holy Prophet {S} in the world of men.

The Holy Prophet's {s} illustrious grandfather was at the Kaba when Amina gave birth, and she sent him word of the glad event, inviting him to come and see her newborn son. Abdul-Muttalib relates: "I was at the time within the building of the Kaba. There I witnessed how the walls of the building themselves began to shake and tremble with joy, calling out to each other: 'The Lord Almighty has bestowed great honor on us that we might see the coming of the prophet who will cleanse us of the filth of these idols!' I was amazed at hearing this, and I understood then that you must have given birth, and that these words heralded the importance of the child you had born."

Amina reports: Later, when he looked upon my son Muhammad {s}, he said, "Praise be to the All-Powerful Lord that He has granted me such an auspicious grandchild!" and he praised him with a great many praises, while from the child's blessed body such a beautiful scent issued forth that it filled the whole town of Mecca as if with the fragrance of musk and amber.

Voices of praise and rejoicing were heard throughout the town, even to the house of Abu Lahab, the Prophet's {s} uncle. While he lay sleeping, voices from the unseen filled his room and the smell of musk and amber pervaded the air. From this he awoke, greatly perplexed. A slave girl, Thauba, was sleeping by his side. To her he turned to ask what she made of these strange sounds and voices. Thauba answered, "Good news and tidings of joy to you, oh Abu Lahab! Your brother Abdullah's wife Amina has born a son. Muhammad {s}. From his blessed body issues this perfumed cloud and this wonderful fragrance. The sounds you hear are the voices of those who inhabit the regions between Heaven and earth, heralding the birth of this miraculous child."

Abu Lahab was pleased at the good news she gave him and he said to her, "Ya Thauba, for that you have given me joyful tidings, I shall give you your freedom. Go to the house of the mother of Muhammad {s} and offer your services as a wet-nurse, for you too, are nursing a child, named Masruj." So Thauba went and became the wet-nurse for Muhammad {s}. For seven days his mother Amina gave him milk, after that Thauba came and nursed him until he was given to Halima as-Sa'adia.

It is related that some people saw Abu Lahab in their dreams after he had died. When they asked him how he fared in the afterlife he replied, "Woe is me! Was I not the uncle of a great and distinguished prophet? Would that I had believed in him and become one of the blissful dwellers of Paradise gardens! Ah, but I chose to be his greatest enemy, persisting in error and disbelief, so that I am one of the damned of Hell.

However, there are two grants of mercy that I receive over and above all the other inmates of the Fire: from the night linking Sunday to Monday up to the following night, my punishment is alleviated; and when I place my two fingers in my mouth on that day, a cool drink of water issues forth from between my index and middle fingers that soothes my torment."

That blessed night all idols in the entire world fell from their pedestals and shattered to bits, and Shaytan's throne was overturned so that it hung downwards and he fell off it. The angels then caught hold of him and imprisoned him for forty days in the forty seas. Finally, he contrived his escape, and he came up to the Mount Abu Qubais and let out a mighty scream. Hearing him yell, all the devils and Ifrit came flying and gathered round, asking him, "What is it with you that you scream so loud?" He answered them, "Such a terrible destroyer has been sent down upon you as you have never known or seen before. What is more, against this plague there is no remedy."

The devils were all shocked, and asked, "Who is it?" Shaytan replied, "It is the Prophet Muhammad {s}, mighty and glorious, the son of Abdullah, son of Abdul-Muttalib who is born in Mecca tonight. He has the power to demolish all idols and defeat all unbelief in the whole wide world. He will bring the Light of Islam and spread the faith from east to west; no place will remain on earth where the call of Unity has not been heard, and the unbelievers will be smitten and abased. No trick and no deception will prevail against his influence. The scripture he will bring will watch over his nation, and his religion and law will remain valid and in place until the Day of Judgment, his followers being assured of the Lord's forgiveness and grace." So he said and let out another terrible scream.

In that blessed night the fires of the fire worshippers that had been continuously burning for a thousand years went out, and not a trace remained of heat or fire-their hearths became cold as ice, colder than the fiercest winter's cold.

In the lands of Persia there flows a great stream, the Euphrates. In the region of Kasane there lies a place called Sawa by the banks of this great river, and formerly there lived in this town a large number of Christians and Jews. They had built their churches and monasteries there and were recognized and highly esteemed. Now the night the Holy Prophet {S} was born in Mecca, the whole river at Sawa suddenly ran dry, and the ground was cracked and arid when they awoke in the morning, as if there had never been a trace of water in this spot. Such a fierce heat arose in place of the water as if a fire had been burning there since uncounted days. Dust rose around the feet of the people as they walked about.

Now the king of the region was termed Khosroes, and the king in those days was Kaykubad Nushurevan. In that night, fourteen of his twenty-two palaces and domed mansions crumbled and fell, and there remained only eight standing. That night also his throne tumbled and fell, and the king himself had a terrifying dream. In the morning when he woke, he called for all his dream interpreters and diviners, and when they were assembled at his court, he asked them to tell him about the dream he had seen that night. He said to them, "I will not tell you what I dreamt, you will tell it to me. If you are not able to do this, what good is your interpretation to me? I will dismiss you all, if you fail me."

They answered, "Oh King, not one of us can know about your dream, but there lives a man called Satih, no one but he can inform you of it." This Satih lived in the land of Bahrain, and his name was really Rabi' bin Rabi'a. He was generally called Satih, which means 'plain, surface', because he could only lie flat on his back, unable to even sit up, for he had not a bone in his body, excepting his skull. The reason for this was that he was born of two women, and the bones of man are created from the seed of the male.

This Satih lived in Bahrain, and he had been in the world for a very long time already, some said for thirty generations, and one generation consists of thirty years. Thus Satih knew and had seen a great many things and was known to be a wise man and a seer. He had read all the heavenly revealed scriptures, and was well versed in the art of divination and fortune telling. Once a year he would be carried out in grand procession upon a golden tray, and all the learned would gather round him and listen to his predictions for the coming year. Of these they took note and recorded them with care.

Now, King Nushurevan was one of the very chosen servants, for he was the just king whom the Holy Prophet {S} referred to when he said, "I came to this world in the time of one very just king." Nushurevan decided to send an envoy to Bahrain to consult with this man Satih, and he chose as his messenger one Abdul-Massih. This man set out for Bahrain, and by the Almighty's providence he arrived just on the day that Satih was carried out on the golden tray to do his predictions. When he met with him, he told Satih about the events in his country: about the fires of the fire-worshippers being extinguished and the waters by Sawa drying up; about the toppling and the ruin of the king's palaces and domed mansions, and lastly about the dream the king had seen which he would tell to no one, but expected them to interpret for him.

To this Satih said, "The King Nushurevan has seen a frightful dream. In his dream he saw the approach of an army, riders of Arabian steeds and Hijin camels, filling the whole city of Mada'in. These riders then led all the camels they found out of the city."

"And this is the meaning of these signs: in the town of Mecca al-Mukarrama the unlettered Prophet Muhammad {s} is born. He is descended from the line of Ibrahim Khalilullah, and he is to become the Seal of Prophets. In him all the signs and portents mentioned in the previous holy books, the Torah, the Injil and the Zabur will become manifest and revealed. From this day on all divinations and predictions will become invalid and unreal, for from now on the Jinn and Ifrit are prevented from eavesdropping on the heavenly council as they have been doing so far, spying out the secrets of the future, and unveiling them partially to the soothsayers of mankind."

(Still, certain ones among them would yet attempt to fly up and steal some secret knowledge, but the angels will chase them away with heavenly missiles called 'shihab', which are shooting stars, as we see up to this very day.)

"So," Satih continued, "the Lord of Knowledge has been manifested, and the meaning of King Nushurevan's dream is this: the Arabian horses and Hijin camels signify his companions, the companions of the Prophet {S} whom the Almighty is about to send. The camels being led out of the city means that the companions of this Prophet {S} will come and take the city and expel them from within it."

Next Satih explained to him, "The meaning of the eight domed mansions that did not crumble, is this: King Nushurevan will be succeeded by eight kings, then his kingdom will be conquered by the armies of Islam. The dying down of the fires of the fire worshippers and the drying up of the waters around Sawa signifies that the light which is with unbelievers will be taken from them and their fount will run dry. The prophet who is to come will fill the whole world with his light and become a messenger to all peoples, and these dreams and happenings are signs of his advent."

When he had spoken these words, the seer Satih paused for a while and wept bitterly. He then said, "There remains only very little time for Satih to live, he will not live to see the coming of this light of a new age; so Satih weeps from longing, unfulfilled."

The king's emissary Abdul-Massih heard these words and took note of them; then he returned to his king, Nushurevan, and told him of what he had heard and seen.

There were a great many signs announcing the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad {s}. As the light of Muhammad {s} was passed from father to son from the time of Sayyiduna Adam (as), each time a woman conceived a prophet to be, this light would appear on her forehead and linger there until the child was born. So also the mother of the Prophet Muhammad {s} experienced many strange and wonderful things during her pregnancy. She received revelations of the divine and angelic messages that would fill many books, and yet only a fraction would have been told, for these wonders are limitless.

The night of the Prophet's {s} birth was such a great and holy night that for all those who were wakeful during that night it was as if they had been awake for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).

Therefore it is recommended to make special celebrations and to light the lights on the minarets. All the lands of Islam are to rejoice and engage in festivities, for every Muslim should be glad to remember the birth of the Prince of Prophet's {s} with love and devotion. The blessed companions of the Prophet {S} made special celebrations and honors for the Prophet's {s} children. The learned scholars have thought it in order to make special arrangements for the descendants of the Prophet {S}, by holding banquets in their honor, for the benefit of the poor and indigent, for widows, orphans and students (which is commendable on any other day as well.) For instance, a banquet could be held, a sermon read, Quran recited, a Mawlid held and the assembly treated to sweets or sherbet. All this is considered very meritorious, and our Lord rewards all our good deeds.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Marhaba Ya Rasulallah

Marhaba Ya Rasulallah. Welcome, Prophet of Allah. Welcome, incomparable Sultan of Prophets. Welcome, Fountain of Mystic Knowledge. Welcome, Treasury of the Secret Meanings of the Holy Qur’an. Welcome, Healing Balm for all the world’s afflictions. Welcome, Nightingale from the Garden of Divine Beauty. Welcome, Bearer of the universal Forgiveness of Allah.

Welcome, Moon and Sun of Allah’s Mercy. Welcome, Perfect Focus of the Truth. Welcome, Shelter for the wandering soul. Welcome, Unwavering Spirit. Welcome, ya saqi, Cupbearer of the Wine of Love. Welcome, sublime Vision of those who truly adore. Welcome, Prince of Humankind, Beloved of the Creator. Welcome, Illumination of longing souls. Welcome, most intimately cherished Friend of Allah. Welcome, most beloved Soul. Welcome, Intercessor for the entire universe.

Welcome, O Sultan of Prophets for whom the earth and Paradise were both created. Your face shines with the intensity of noonday sun. Your powerful right hand lifts up those who have fallen along the way of Truth. You are the only foundation and solace for the lovers of Reality. You are the spiritual refuge for all conscious beings. You are healing for hearts broken by the world. You are the delicate spiritual joy of the heart that turns away from the world. O Sultan and Shaykh of all creation. O President of the Parliament of Prophets and Mystic Guides. O Clarifying Light for the eyes of human beings, both saints and simple believers. O Final One to mount the Throne of Prophesy. O Seal of the Prophets and Distributor of the Light of Prophesy to all hearts. Your face makes the whole creation shine with greater clarity and brilliance. Your roselike beauty fills the hearts of lovers with the fragrance of roses. You overcome the night of spiritual ignorance and error, bringing the vineyard of realization to fruition with the sunlight of the Holy Qur’an. O beloved one of Allah, please assist us along the mystic way, and permit us to gaze upon your Face of Beauty at the End of Time.

—Atom From the Sun of Knowledge by Shaykh Nur al-Jerrahi, may his soul be sanctified

Saturday, November 11, 2006

The Prophet Muhammad and Servanthood

When our beloved Prophet was asked by Allah Most High in the secret shrine of his heart whether he would prefer to be a king prophet or a servant prophet, he answered with the fullness of divine wisdom, “A servant prophet.” Therefore we call him Muhammad Abduhu wa Rasuluhu, Muhammad the Servant and Messenger of the All-Merciful Source, may Allah’s peace be upon him forever. He declared of his own life, “fakhri fahri—poverty is my pride.” The mystic masters interpret this to mean poverty on all levels. Outwardly, he distributed everything to the needy of his community, so that he owned nothing. He declared that if he received a mountain of wealth in the morning it would be given away by nightfall. On the inner level his poverty was also complete, and here is the true meaning of faqir. He was empty of all but Allah. He did not exist except in Allah. His hearing, seeing, and knowing were only through Allah. He refrained from all personal initiative, following simply the command of Allah. He preferred not to act rather than act without the divine command. He is the magnificent empty vessel of life which resounds only with Allah. His only desire was for the Pleasure of Allah and the salvation of humanity. On the night of his Ascension into mystic intimacy with Allah, he was asked by his Lord to request his most ardent wish and everything his heart desired. His passionate answer was, “My ummat, my people, my humanity. O Merciful Allah forgive human beings all their errors.” He is the supreme intercessor. He is the servant of humanity. His way is our light. Through his example we know that servanthood is the highest station of the human being, and selfless service a sure way to realization. Dervish ServiceThere is only one Master and therefore true service is to Allah alone. This we do with our heart through dhikrullah. As the dervish heart remains in conscious dhikr (and gratitude, love and awe are part of dhikr, as is singing the ilahis), the heart is serving Allah. From this state will flow all the other divinely pleasing forms of service to human beings and creation. Yet these kinds of services will be empty shells unless they are offered with a heart immersed in Allah and free of any desire for esteem or reward. The heart of the dervish is the dwelling of Allah and a lamp for all the hearts, and the responsibility of the dervish is to keep the heart free, even while working and helping in the world. The dervish is watchful that obsession, doubt and complaint do not cloud their heart. If these come, melt them away with La ilaha ilallah Muhammad rasulallah. A mature dervish has the responsibility of vision—of sustaining the vision of the Loving Truth even when circumstances challenge it. It is thru this level of seeing that the shaykh reveals the purity of the dervish heart. And it is through this level of seeing that the dervish opens in turn the hearts of others. Dervish heart and dervish path are sustained by true vision. The mystic community is the perfect context in which to practice loving service, for here we will find ourself naturally in a state of dhikrullah, and we are able to freely express our love to Allah, the shaykh and to our fellow dervishes. The service can be as simple as sitting quietly in a state of peaceful absorbtion, attending to the needs of guests, or refreshing the community by offering water or tea....Shaykha Fariha al Jerrahi

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Sunna and Hadith

Sunna is the way of life of the blessed Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt him and bless him and shower him with light. The sunna of the Prophet is the living manifestation of La ilaha Ilallah. It is the expression of his pure and perfect nature, in complete submission to the Source of Love and in compassionate caretaking of the human family. He is perfect in intention, in thought and in action, and he is the shining model for humanity. His life is the interpretation of Holy Quran. By coming close to him we come close to Allah Most High.

The sunna of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is preserved in the great body of Hadith—the recorded accounts of his life and teachings. Hadith Qudsi are the direct words of Allah Most High spoken into the Prophet’s heart—this places them on the level of Holy Quran.

Nine hadith Qudsi recorded in Atom from the Sun of Knowledge:

The noble Caretaker who guards the ocean of Quranic meaning, Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace, proclaims: When Allah Most High decreed the existence of creation, He firmly committed Himself by inscribing in His Original Book, “My Divine Mercy extends infinitely beyond My Divine Judgement.”

The Beloved Muhammad, upon him be peace, reports these words directly from the Most High: My love belongs to those who love each other in Me, who experience intimacy in Me, who shower each other with goodness for My Sake, and who visit each other joyfully for My Sake.

While pointing at his noble heart three times, the glorious Seal of Messengers proclaims: True religion is right here!

Pronounces the President of the Parliament of Prophets: No one has become truly faithful to universal religion until they wish for their sisters and brothers exactly what they desire for themself.

Reveals the Mercy to all Worlds, upon him be peace: Every single repetition of praise—every Subhanallah, every Al-hamdulillah, every Allahu Akbar, and every La ilaha Ilallah—is a supreme form of charitable giving.

The noble Bearer of Glorious Quran recites these words directly from the Revealer of the Quran: O My servants, I do not permit Myself a single act of compulsion, so neither is compulsion of any kind permissible among you.

Advises the Friend of all souls, upon him be peace: Abandon instantly whatever makes you feel doubtful, and embrace wholeheartedly whatever genuinely frees you from doubt.

The intimate Beloved of Allah reveals these astonishing words directly from his most precious Lord: When I intensely love one of My servants, I alone become the hearing with which they hear, the seeing with which they see, the hands with which they grasp, and the feet with which they walk. Were such a servant to request absolutely anything of Me, I would instantly grant it.

The First Light and Universal Intellect, upon him be peace, relates these words directly from the Source of the Universe: I manifest in the manner in which each conscious being expects Me to manifest.